Only Lonely
by NightsideInk
Summary: Long before Inuyasha met Kikyo or Kagome, he saved the life of a young woman who would teach him the meaning of love. Inuyasha/OC. Written for a friend. Reviews appreciated.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** _Inuyasha_ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I just write these for fun.

**Author's Note:** This is just a bit of fluff I wrote for a friend. Takes place a very long time before the beginning of the series.

**

**Prologue: Hoping for a Piece of Something**

It is human nature to wish for a place to belong. This task is often difficult for ordinary people to accomplish. Some will spend their whole lives trying to find their place, but when you are an extraordinary creature like Inuyasha, this task is harder still…

In feudal Japan, a child was born of a mortal mother, Izayoi, and the great dog demon InuTaisho. This child became Inuyasha. From his birth, his life was difficult and that increased as he grew older. His father died to save his newborn son and the woman he loved. Early in Inuyasha's childhood, his mother was also taken from him and he was left alone. As a half demon, Inuyasha could never be accepted by his human or demon counterparts and was forced to walk a lonely road, hated and feared.

With the death of his mother, Inuyasha lost the only person who had shown him love and kindness. He grew up angry, bitter, and hot tempered. He was also selfish and childish. Inside him he still possessed a human heart and human emotions, but they remained locked away.

In time, Inuyasha would meet two women who would change his life. The first was the priestess Kikyo, who possessed the Sacred Jewel which could grant Inuyasha's wish to become a full-blooded demon. The two should have been enemies, but instead, they fell in love and Inuyasha changed his wish and decided to become a human so that he could stay with Kikyo. The two hopeful lovers were betrayed by the demon Naraku, and in turn, they betrayed each other and the love they shared. Kikyo bound Inuyasha to a tree with a sacred arrow so that he could never come after the Shikon Jewel again. After the spell was placed on Inuyasha, Kikyo, suffering from mortal wounds, died. She ordered the jewel to be burned with her body and so it was taken out of the world until 500 years later, when Kagome Higurashi was born as the reincarnation of the priestess Kikyo.

Inside Kagome's body was the Sacred Jewel and she traveled back in time to discover the world of feudal Japan. Here she met Inuyasha and freed him from the Tree of Ages. Although enemies at first, love grew out of their hatred for each other and together they seek to recover the jewel fragments and put an end to the demon Naraku who has caused so much pain.

Long before Inuyasha met these two remarkable women, he accidentally saved the life of a young woman named Corin, who would change his fate and lead him to his true place in the world. This girl unlocked Inuyasha's frozen heart and showed him the way to love. So, I have come to tell her story…


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** _Inuyasha_ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I just write these for fun.

**Author's Note:** This is just a bit of fluff I wrote for a friend. Takes place a very long time before the beginning of the series.

**

**Chapter One: This Must be the Place**

Silver ears twitched and a keen nose picked up a particularly foul scent in the air. "Grrr. I smell demons," Inuyasha said. He had been out hunting for food when he'd come upon the rank odor of demons. They were close.

A scream ripped the cool night air and sent Inuyasha's ears twitching again. With incredible speed the half dog demon took off through the forest towards the scent of fresh blood and demons. It wasn't that he was predisposed to help humans, he wasn't. He simply loved to fight. Fighting helped him become ever stronger and his strength was something he needed for when he became a full demon, which was his one great wish. It was for purely selfish reasons that he went towards the sounds of screams, but fate had intervened that night and what he would do would set him on a course that opened his eyes to the kind soul that lay inside of him.

The scene of the battle was horrific. A small village had been overtaken by a band of carrion crows and a giant spider demon. The villagers lay dead in the streets, already being picked apart by the vile scavengers. The only survivor Inuyasha could see was a girl who was being suspended in the air by an arm of the giant spider. She had been the one to scream, paralyzed with fear as she was on the verge of being eaten.

The silver haired dog demon wasted no time and leapt into action with astonishing speed. "IRON REAVER SOUL STEALER!!" He yelled. Sharp claws ripped through the arachnid beast until its body lay scattered on the ground, smoking and twitching. The girl fell from the grasp of the spider demon and lay unconscious near a tree.

Carrion crows, having had their meal interrupted, formed a black cloud and their terrifying battle cry rained down on Inuyasha. Fire glinted in his golden eyes and he attacked with the Iron Reaver Soul Stealer once more. The few crows that dodged the attack flew off into the darkness with an angry screech.

"Well, that wasn't much of a challenge," Inuyasha grumbled, watching the birds fly away.

"Ugghhh," the girl under the tree sat up slowly and looked around. She spotted Inuyasha and stared. Flames of the burning village flickered behind him and he looked to her like one of the magnificent heroes in the stories her father once told her. She fell instantly in love with him.

"You ok?" He asked, kneeling close to her.

The girl could only stare. This boy had ears like a dog. "Puppy!" She exclaimed and reached out to touch the soft, pointy ears.

"Hey! Stop that! I'm not a puppy. I'm a demon." Inuyasha huffed and stood up to leave, but the girl grabbed his pant leg. He looked down and saw her pretty face contorted with pain. "Oh man. Now what? Are you hurt or something?"

"My leg," she whimpered. The pain had finally found her and tears leaked from her eyes.

A huge gash in the girl's leg seemed to be the offending problem. The skin around the cut had turned a bluish-purple, unlike anything Inuyasha had seen before. Blood sprang from the cut in an unending stream of red. _Man, if I don't do something she's gonna die. Dammit! _Inuyasha swore to himself. It seemed that the young woman had passed out from the pain, her fingers still clinging to the hem of his red hakama. He tore a strip of her kimono and tied it tightly above the wound to staunch the bleeding and he took the kerchief from her head to wrap the wound. It was a poor job, but it was good enough until he could get her to the river and cleanse the wound. Taking the girl in his arms, he sprang away from the burning village and down to the river bank.


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** _Inuyasha_ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I just write these for fun.

**Author's Note:** This is just a bit of fluff I wrote for a friend. Takes place a very long time before the beginning of the series.

**

**Chapter Two: Cover Up and Say Goodnight**

The warm glow of a fire and the smell of cooking fish woke the injured girl from her slumber. She opened her eyes and saw nothing but tree branches and stars above her. "Am I dead?" she asked the sky.

"You're not dead." Inuyasha approached her and checked the bandage on her leg to make sure the wound hadn't reopened. He'd had some trouble getting the bleeding to stop, as if there was a poison inside. He couldn't smell any toxins on her so he just assumed that it was because the wound was deep that it wouldn't stop bleeding.

"You're the boy who saved me. Who are you?"

"Inuyasha. Who are you?"

"I'm Corin," the girl said, trying to smile. The pain in her leg was immense and it came out as more of a grimace. "Thank you for saving me, Inuyasha."

The boy snorted derisively. "Nothing personal, I just wanted to kill some demons. It's not like I _wanted_ to save you or nothin'."

"I'm still grateful to you," Corin reached out to cover his hand with hers. His hands were so large and warm.

Inuyasha jerked his hand away quickly, her skin felt colder than it should. "I left you some food and water. You'll be ok tonight. I don't smell any more demons around." He stood up and turned his back to her.

"You're just gonna leave me here? What kind of hero are you?" She cried indignantly.

"I ain't no hero. I'm a demon. It's not like I go out of my way to help people. You were just in the way."

"Then why didn't you just leave me there to die?"

The girl's voice was quiet, but it struck Inuyasha like a stone and he turned on her coldly. He wanted to say something mean, something to hurt her so that she wouldn't bother him anymore, but the words wouldn't come. He looked at her there in the firelight, her long black hair, and bright blue eyes; she looked so small and fragile. _Scared._ He was again surprised at how vulnerable humans could be. Part of him hated that, but he couldn't bring himself to hate this girl. The more he looked at her, the prettier she seemed to be.

An evening breeze moved her hair across her face as she struggled to sit up. Wide blue eyes blinked back tears that threatened to fall. Inuyasha knew he couldn't leave her there alone. She might get eaten or something and he hated to admit it, but if that happened, he'd feel bad. With an exaggerated sigh, he sat down across from her and handed her a grilled fish.

"Here, you'll feel better if you eat something."

The two ate in relative silence, listening to the call of night birds and insects. Needing to fill the silence, Inuyasha spoke first. "Was that your village that was attacked?"

"No," Corin said. "I was just passing through. My village is far away now."

"Why aren't you there? In your village?"

"My home was also destroyed by demons. I come from a long line of onmitsu, but we were unprepared for demons. We couldn't fight them with our traditional weapons, at least not very well. My family and friends were all killed. Very few of us survived." A look of sadness washed over her face and Inuyasha felt sorry for her. He knew what it was like to be alone and an orphan. "But that was a long time ago," Corin continued. "I do ok on my own."

"You weren't doing so good against that demon back there," Inuyasha reminded her.

"But I'm alive, thanks to you."

Inuyasha snorted. "Get some sleep, tomorrow I'll take you to a village to get your leg looked at."

"You won't leave me in the middle of the night, will you?" Corin's blue eyes pleaded with him.

"No," he growled. He rested his back against the tree and looked up into the sky, counting the stars, avoiding her face.

"Good." She smiled before closing her eyes and settling back into sleep. The warmth of the fire soaked into her skin and down to her bones, that, along with the meal had made her forget about her pain and she slept easily. She dreamed of the dog-eared boy who'd saved her life. She wanted to know more about him and she hoped that he wouldn't abandon her in the first village they came to. There was something about him that she liked.

Sometime before dawn, Corin awoke with a start. The fire had died out and there was no blanket with which she could cover herself. The cold had settled into her bones again. She looked around for Inuyasha, her eyes slowly adjusting to the dark. She was comforted when she saw him still sitting against the tree trunk, his head bent in sleep.

Corin shivered again. These days it was so hard to get warm. She kept telling herself it was because the seasons were going to change soon and summer was waning. A thought came to her then and she prayed she had the courage to accomplish it. Bracing herself against the pain, Corin dragged herself through the dewy grass towards the tree. She held her breath and gently forced her way between Inuyasha's bent knees until she was enveloped in his sleeping embrace. He was so warm. Being a half dog demon, his body temperature was slightly higher than a normal human's. Corin curled up against him, her fingers entwining themselves in his hitoe jacket, and her head resting against his shoulder. Her lips could almost touch his cheek.

_For a dog demon, he sure is a heavy sleeper. _She thought for sure she would wake him when she touched him.

In truth, Inuyasha was awake. He'd heard her moving around and he watched through slitted eyes as she crawled toward him. He was curious as to what she would do, but wary enough to be prepared to kill her if she tried anything nefarious. When she'd only curled up in his arms, he'd been surprised. People tended to avoid him, hate him, or fear him. There wasn't much in between. He was used to that. He wasn't used to this. Inuyasha had never held a woman and he was shocked by how good it felt.

Corin felt warmer now and drifted back into sleep, nuzzling Inuyasha's neck, making herself more comfortable. Inuyasha was paralyzed. He wanted to yell at her, to ask her what the hell she thought she was doing, but his nose caught her scent, it was like sweet grass and wild flowers. He liked her scent and honestly, he was too scared to move. No one had ever thanked him for saving their life, let alone crawl into his arms in the middle of the night. Who was this girl? What was wrong with her?

"Inuyasha…" Corin whispered in her sleep.

It touched his heart to hear his name whispered so tenderly. The last time he'd heard his name spoken like that had been when his mother was still alive. So, Inuyasha wrapped his arms tighter around the sleeping girl and laid his head on hers. He fell asleep to her intoxicating scent and had the most peaceful sleep of his young life.


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** _Inuyasha_ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I just write these for fun.

**Author's Note:** This is just a bit of fluff I wrote for a friend. Takes place a very long time before the beginning of the series.

**

**Chapter Three: Ain't This Position Familiar?**

Morning came brightly, with rays of sunlight slicing through the trees. Corin woke to the radiant light in her eyes. She turned her head and buried her face in a warm, solid shoulder. For a moment, she had forgotten all about what had happened the previous night. When she turned her head, she saw the handsome visage of her rescuer, the young half demon who had saved her life.

Corin watched him sleep; he was so beautiful that he didn't seem real. She reached out and stroked his cheek in wonder. Golden eyes fluttered open and he stared at her. Inuyasha had slept so deeply that he too had forgotten about Corin crawling into his arms.

"Hi," Corin whispered. The sound of her voice startled him. He blinked, thinking he was dreaming. "I'm sorry. It was cold last night and you were so warm…" She blushed; her face was so close to his.

"I could have killed you, stupid girl," he said.

"But you didn't." Suddenly, Corin didn't know what she was doing. She closed the distance between them with soft and gentle kiss.

Inuyasha pulled away, his face red with embarrassment. "What are you doing?!"

"I'm sorry! I don't know… I just… I just wanted to kiss you for some reason." Now it was Corin's turn to be embarrassed.

"You're weird," Inuyasha said. His face still flushed with heat. "Come on; let's get you to a healer."

"Ok." Corin climbed onto his back and put her arms around his neck. She wondered to herself why she was so infatuated with this boy. Was it because he'd saved her life? Or was it because she saw something good inside him that was desperately trying to get out? Maybe it was because she was lonely and sensed that he must be lonely as well.

Riding on Inuyasha's back was just like flying. He was so fast, bounding through the forest. She rested her head against his back, his silver hair brushing her face. He smelled like earth and forest, Corin liked the way he smelled.

They reached the village just before noon, the sun was high and it had grown warmer. Corin relished the heat on her body. Inuyasha found a healer for Corin and he waited outside while her injuries were tended to properly.

"That young man did a good job of bandaging your leg," the healer said. "Is he a friend of yours?"

"He saved my life," Corin said.

"Most unusual."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you know? That boy's a half demon. Generally they would not trouble themselves about mere mortals," the healer explained.

"He told me that same thing," Corin replied. "But not all demons are bad, and besides, if he's only half then that means he's half human too. So he's no different than me really, just faster and stronger."

"You have a point I suppose," the healer conceded. "There must have been some reason he saved you. Aren't you afraid of him? Most people would be."

"No, I'm not afraid. He saved my life; there must be something good inside him. I think maybe he's lonely."

The village healer said no more on the subject. He gave Corin a crutch to help her walk and a pouch of medicine. "Here, this will help with the pain. Remember to take it easy and don't strain the leg or the stitches will come out."

"Thank you. I'll remember." After she thanked the healer, Corin limped outside with her new crutch to find Inuyasha. She couldn't see him from the door of the hut, but she could see a crowd gathered around someone in the street. She knew it had to be Inuyasha when she heard cries of; 'He's a demon! Get him!' and 'Go back to hell where you belong!'

Hobbling as fast as she could, Corin pushed her way through the crowd. Some of the villagers had picked up rocks and surrounded a very angry looking Inuyasha. Corin put herself between the villagers and her new friend. "Stop it!" She pleaded with them.

"Get out demon!" They shouted.

"No, please, leave him alone. He saved my life. He's not evil," Corin tried to persuade them to put their weapons down, but it didn't seem to work.

"What are you doing?" Inuyasha exclaimed. "Get out of here or you'll be hurt too!"

"NO! I won't leave you."

"What are you? Some kind of demon lover?" One man yelled at Corin. He threw a stone at her. "Get out of here; we don't want your kind in our town!"

Corin deflected the stone with her arms.

"Demon lover!" the mob shouted. More rocks were thrown, and Corin took the brunt of them all to protect Inuyasha. He tried to push her away, out of the crowd, but she wouldn't budge.

"You stupid girl! Get out of here, they'll kill you!" Inuyasha growled.

"No!" Corin shouted at him. A well aimed rock hit Corin's forehead, slicing a gash into her smooth skin. She cried out and Inuyasha caught her before she fell. "You idiot!" he shouted at her. "Why would you do that?"

"STOP NOW!" There came an angry voice from outside the tightly formed mob. It was the village healer and he was brandishing a wicked looking staff. "Get away from them and go home! They came here seeking help, not trouble."

"But elder, this is a demon!" Some of the men cried.

"He may be, but he saved this girl's life and tried to protect her and you tried to punish him for that. Right now, you all are more inhuman than he is. Go home!" His angry face sent several people running right away. This village healer was not someone you wanted anger or he might leave the town and then they would have no one to tend to the sick or injured.

After some grumbling the crowd dispersed and the healer helped Inuyasha take Corin to his hut. "You must forgive them," he said. "Many villages have been attacked and people are afraid. They don't understand."

"I won't forgive them. They're animals. Worse than I am," Inuyasha said petulantly. He looked at Corin, who had been knocked unconscious by the stone that hit her in the forehead. "Stupid girl. Why'd she go and do that?"

"Perhaps she is trying to repay your kindness for saving her life. I think she is lonely and just wants to be your friend," the healer said. He cleansed Corin's wounds and sewed up the cut on her forehead.

"Hmmmrph," Inuyasha grunted. "Why would she want to do that? I don't need any friends." He turned his back on her and sat down with an angry thump.

"Be kind to her," the healer implored. "She has accepted you for who you are, such people are rare. Perhaps she sees something in you that even you yourself can't see."

"Yeah well... I wish she'd go away. I don't need someone tagging along and slowing me down." Even as he said it, Inuyasha's mind came back to the kiss she had given him. His fingers brushed his lips and they still burned where she had kissed him. As much as he tried to ignore it, this girl was the first person to be kind to him since his mother had passed away. He'd almost forgotten what it felt like. "Stupid girl," he murmured.


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** _Inuyasha_ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I just write these for fun.

**Author's Note:** This is just a bit of fluff I wrote for a friend. Takes place a very long time before the beginning of the series.

**

**Chapter Four: Share the Same Space**

In the healer's hut, Inuyasha and Corin, who had come out of her unconsciousness, waited until dark to escape the village. The old man had made some stew for his guests and packed a few things for them to take with them. He admired this girl's courage and hoped that she could help this strange boy unlock the humanity inside.

"You can stay here until night has fallen. It should be safe to leave then. Again, I must apologize for the actions of my fellow townspeople today. It was uncalled for."

"Don't worry about it," Inuyasha said. He looked at Corin, his eyes were sad, he remembered all the times he'd faced this sort of thing in the past. "Do you think this is the first time this has happened?"

The old man nodded sagely and poured the tea.

Full darkness had fallen and it was time for Inuyasha and Corin to make their escape. The healer had given them food and medicine and a spare blanket for their journey. "May you find peace," he told them before Inuyasha sprinted off with the injured Corin on his back.

"Thank you again!" Corin waved back to the old man.

The unlikely pair came to rest deep in the forest near a stream. Corin built a fire while Inuyasha brooded over the events of the day. She watched him thoughtfully. "What are you thinking about?" She asked.

"Nothing," he snapped.

"Yes you are. You're thinking about what happened in the village today. I bet that's happened to you before. Being part demon must be hard. Were teased a lot as a kid?" She inched closer to him. He certainly was a strange boy, he acted so angry, but inside, Corin could see that he was just hurting and miserable.

"None of your business." The truth was that Inuyasha's past was a painful subject for him and he didn't like to share. His mother had been a beautiful, mortal woman, and his father was a great dog demon. In the village where Inuyasha was raised, he was often teased and harassed by the other townspeople. He and his mother suffered untold persecution. 'Half-breed', 'demon spawn' these were names he was used to hearing and he remembered the tears his mother shed when he asked her what they meant.

Through the years of his childhood, his mother was the only one who could console and protect him. She loved Inuyasha more than her own life, and died protecting him. After she was gone, there was no one left to show him love or kindness and because of that, he began to hate the world and everything in it.

Corin was the first person since his mother passed that didn't shun him or run away in fear. She seemed to accept him. More than that, he was starting to think that she even liked him. She must like him at least a little to have defended him the way she did back in the village.

"Inuyasha?" Corin's voice was right next to him.

"What?!" He nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw she had slowly crept up on him. Now she sat beside him, looking at him curiously. "Geez! What are you doing sneaking up on me like that?"

"I didn't sneak," Corin huffed. "You just weren't paying attention."

"What do you want?"

"What will we do now?" she asked.

"What do you mean 'we'? There's no 'we'. There's you and then there's me. I am going to continue on my journey. I don't care what you do." He crossed his arms over his chest and looked away from her.

"But I thought… I thought we were friends." Tears stung her eyes.

"I don't need any friends. I'm a demon, remember?"

"Just cause you're a half demon doesn't mean you're evil, you know," Corin's sorrow had turned to righteous indignation. "Everyone needs friends and I want to be yours. Don't you like me?"

"No. I. Don't." Inuyasha stated each word forcefully and loudly.

"Well, I think you do or you wouldn't have gone through all that trouble to save me and to take me to a healer."

"I didn't do it cause I wanted to! You were just there. It was an accident that I saved you. Not only are you stupid, you're delusional too!" Inuyasha huffed.

"Oh yeah! Well I think you're all bark and no bite!"

The two sat glaring at each other for a long time until finally; Inuyasha announced that he was going to sleep. He stood up and walked to a far away tree, leaving Corin by the fire, annoyance still plastered across her face.

"Dumb girl," Inuyasha growled to himself. "I don't need any friends, especially a girl. She's nothing but trouble." Though his words were cold, the heat of the kiss she gave him still haunted him and despite his protestations he wanted to kiss her again to see if it really had been as good as he remembered. These thoughts only made him angrier and he spent a good deal of the evening pacing and grumping to himself just beyond the ring of fire light.

Corin slept restlessly beside the dying fire. The blanket the healer had given them was not enough to stave off the cool air. She felt herself getting colder and colder as the days went on. She was troubled by this realization because she knew what it meant. She sat up and looked across the dying embers for Inuyasha, fearing that he'd left her while she'd slept. But she spotted him under a tree a little ways away. Corin had already forgiven him for being so mean to her. She couldn't imagine how hard it must have been for him to grow up hated and despised. Deep down, she knew that he was kind and he had a good heart, even a sensitive one. If he didn't, then these sorts of things would never bother him and he wouldn't have troubled himself to save her life and tend her wounds.

Inside, Corin wept for him and wanted even more to show him that not everyone would fear and shun him. She was lonely since her family died and all the love she had inside her needed to go somewhere. She couldn't think of a better place for it to go than to someone who needed it most, like Inuyasha. He might not know he needed it, but he did.

Summoning up all her courage, Corin gathered up the blanket and limped to where Inuyasha lay against the tree. She repeated her act from the night before, forcing her way into his arms. She spread the blanket over both of them and promptly fell into a deep and dreamless sleep. Just like before, Inuyasha instinctively put his arms around the fragile girl and pulled her close to him.

Inuyasha wondered what was happening to him. Why didn't he push her away when she came to him in the middle of the night? She was just a human and he had no use for her. But he was curious. Curious about these strange feelings she had awakened in him. _Maybe I'll stay with her a little longer to see what happens. Maybe,_ he thought to himself as he looked down at Corin. The silver moon trickled through the branches and made a leaf pattern across her sleeping face. _She really is kind of pretty._


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** _Inuyasha_ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I just write these for fun.

**Author's Note:** This is just a bit of fluff I wrote for a friend. Takes place a very long time before the beginning of the series.

**

**Chapter Five: There's a Skeleton in Every Man's House**

"How's your leg?" Inuyasha and Corin were traveling down the road, earlier in the day Inuyasha informed her that they were going to visit someone, and Corin had not asked who. She limped along the road slowly. Inuyasha was annoyed at their slow pace and frequently grumbled to himself. Corin couldn't hear him because he was so far ahead of her.

They had stopped beside a stream to replenish their water supply and Corin soaked her leg in the cool water. "It burns," she said. "It hurts. I think it may be infected."

"Why didn't you go back to the village like I told you to? You're dragging me down. If you can't keep up I'll leave you behind," he said callously.

"I'm sorry," Corin said. "I don't mean to slow you down." She was actually surprised he hadn't abandoned her already.

"Just… Just take care of your leg," he snapped. Corin looked like she was about to cry and Inuyasha felt something that was a lot like guilt, nagging at him. "Here," he bent down. "I'll carry you for a little while. Just don't get too comfortable ok?"

His traveling companion sniffed back tears. "Ok." She climbed on Inuyasha's back and held on, resting her head against his shoulder, as she had done before. She liked riding on Inuyasha's back, but she usually declined his offers because she didn't want to burden him. Slowly she realized that her insistence on walking with her bad leg was more of a burden than riding on his back for several miles. He was half demon after all, and supernaturally strong. This way they could cover much more ground than they could with Corin limping along on her crutch.

"There's no village in these parts, but as soon as we can find one, I'll get you to another healer and they can take care of that leg," Inuyasha told her as they flew through the forest.

"Thanks," Corin whispered. "I'm sorry to be so much trouble."

Inuyasha didn't respond.

It was several days until the pair made it to a village with a healer in residence. By this time, Corin's pain was much worse and the wound had started to bleed through the bandages. Inuyasha left Corin at the healer's hut and told her that he was going to go and find some food. This was all a pretense. He had decided the other night that Corin could not stay with him anymore. She was too much trouble, and unable to protect herself. He couldn't afford to have her around, not if he was going to continue his quest to become a full demon. It wasn't that he didn't care for her, in fact, he found himself warming to her presence, and that was what had made him choose to leave her behind. He didn't want to think about the fact that he might not be able to protect her. He was afraid something would happen to her and he would be powerless to stop it. So he'd decided to try and find someone in the village who would take her in.

He was still cautious after what had happened in the last village, but this town seemed much quieter and no one immediately attacked him with harmful words and weapons. While he was wandering through the village he came upon an elderly couple who were praying at the shrine. They had lost their daughter many years ago and came every day to pray for her soul. Inuyasha approached them carefully and explained his situation.

In the healer's hut, Corin's secret had been discovered by the wise old man who attended her.

"You've been poisoned by an ice demon," he stated simply after he had seen the wound in her leg.

"Yes," Corin replied, looking ashamed. "It was almost three weeks ago."

"It is slowing down the healing process. Do you know what will happen to you?" His hands were aged, but they dressed her wound with tenderness. He spread a thick ointment on the infected wound before binding it once again with a bandage.

"I do." Tears formed in her eyes, and slid down her cheeks.

"What will you do then?"

"I'll die before I let that happen to me," she said vehemently. "But I need just a little more time. There's someone who needs me, whether or not he knows it. I just need some more time," she pleaded.

The kind old man sighed. "I understand. It's that young man who brought you here isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Very well. I can give you this potion. It will temporarily stave off the effects of the poison, but not for long. This is something you cannot avoid," he warned her.

"I know. I thank you most graciously. I don't have much money-"

The healer waved his hands. "There is no need. Use what time you have wisely and do not succumb to the poison. Death is a much more favorable option."

"Yes," Corin said.

"The ointment I placed on your wound will clear the infection and it should start to heal rapidly, though it may always give you trouble. The poison has spread and I cannot draw it out." He handed her some medicine packets, a bottle of potion and a jar of ointment. "These will help with the pain, and this bottle is the potion to counteract the spread of the ice demon inside you. But I warn you again, it will not save you, it will merely prolong your human life."

Corin stood with her crutch and bowed to the old man. "I understand. Thank you again." She took the items he offered and hobbled out of his hut to find her traveling companion.

Inuyasha was waiting for her outside, under a tree. "What did the old geezer say?" He asked.

"He said I'll be fine if I take it easy and use the ointment he gave me until the infection goes away." She faked her best smile for Inuyasha and did not tell him about the rest of the conversation. "Did you find some lunch for us?"

"Better than that, I found someone who will give us a place to sleep for a few days. Free meals too." He gave her a rare smile, for he too was hiding something.


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** _Inuyasha_ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I just write these for fun.

**Author's Note:** This is just a bit of fluff I wrote for a friend. Takes place a very long time before the beginning of the series.

**

**Chapter Six: Wrap Her Up in a Package of Lies**

The elderly couple, Hiroshi and Kokoro, which Inuyasha had spoken to about adopting Corin, lived on the edge of town in a respectable home. The man had once been a merchant and was not very wealthy, but he was well off. They would give Corin a good home.

Inuyasha carried her to their house on his back, giving her leg a chance to rest as much as possible.

"Welcome! Welcome," the old woman said when she saw them approach. "This must be your friend you told us about. Come inside." The lady of the house was in her late 50's with grey hair pulled into a tight bun. She was plump, always smiling and reminded Corin of her late grandmother.

"We're sorry to put you out like this. It's kind of you to let us stay here," Corin said graciously. Inuyasha had put her down and she leaned heavily on her crutch.

"Nonsense," Kokoro said. "It's no trouble at all. We're glad to have visitors. Please make yourselves comfortable. My husband is preparing a room for you and I've made some tea." Kokoro bustled out to get the refreshments she had prepared for her guests.

Corin sat down, grateful to have a place to rest tonight that wasn't outdoors. As much as she liked sleeping under the stars, it would be nice to have a real bed to sleep on for once. She looked around the large room, the door was open and she could see a modest but beautiful garden and pond outside. "They must be well off to have such a luxury," she said, more to herself than anyone. She didn't notice that Inuyasha had grown unusually quiet.

"They seem like nice people, don't they?" Corin asked him.

"Yeah. I guess so," his tone was a mixture of bitterness and sadness, with a hint of anger.

Though they hadn't traveled together for very long, Corin was learning to decipher Inuyasha's moods and find the difference in what he said and what he meant to say. In this case he was saying that they did seem like nice people, but he still couldn't afford to trust any humans.

"How long will we be staying here?" She asked. "I don't want to be a burden to them. I really just need a couple days until my leg heals a little more. This ointment the healer gave me has already made it feel much better. I'm sure I'll be able to walk on my own in no time. Then I won't slow you down so much." She smiled brightly at him.

"We'll stay as long as you need to," Inuyasha said. Inside, he felt terrible for deceiving her this way.

That night, Corin slept soundly, she wasn't cold anymore. The potion that the healer had given her was fighting the ice demon that was slowly taking over her body. This gave her hope. She knew what he had said, that it wouldn't save her, but she began to think that maybe she would have enough time to find a cure and that way she could always be with Inuyasha. This is what she dreamed in her comfortable sleep.

In the darkness, Inuyasha watched Corin sleep. She looked like a celestial creature come to earth. He skin was flushed silver from the light of the moon, and her long lashes cast shadows on her cheeks. He wanted to touch her face, to see if she was real, but he didn't move. He remained seated by the open door to her room. She'd asked him to leave it slightly open so she could fall sleep under the light of the full moon. Inuyasha leaned his back against the door and looked up at the sky. He wondered what Corin would do when she woke up some morning and he wasn't there.

Thankfully, he would never know. He planned to be far away before she realized that he was gone.

Several days passed at the merchant's house. Hiroshi and Kokoro doted on Corin as she healed, though she begged them not to. She tried to help around the house in payment for letting her and Inuyasha stay, but the couple wouldn't hear of it. So she spent her idle time sitting in the garden by the pond and talking to Inuyasha who could often be found relaxing in the tree that shadowed the little water garden.

"My leg seems much better today. I think I might be able to stop using my crutch soon. That healer is most amazing," Corin said. She was feeding the brightly colored koi that lived in the pond.

"Hmm," was Inuyasha's only reply.

Corin noticed that he seemed most distant lately. She wondered what could be troubling him. "Are you mad that we've taken so much time here? Are you very eager to see your friend we're going to see?"

"No, it's not that."

"I'm really sorry that I'm not well yet," she offered.

"Will you stop apologizing?" Inuyasha growled at her. "I keep tellin' ya it's not your fault. Why are you so nosy? Nothing's bothering me!" He jumped down from the tree and walked towards the garden gates. "I'm going for a walk."

"Oh," Corin exhaled. Something was definitely bothering Inuyasha, but he wouldn't tell her. "Maybe it's because we still don't know each other very well. I'll just leave him alone for awhile."


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** _Inuyasha_ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I just write these for fun.

**Author's Note:** This is just a bit of fluff I wrote for a friend. Takes place a very long time before the beginning of the series.

**

**Chapter Seven: Someday I'm Gonna Stay, but Not Today**

"I'm all better now, Inuyasha. We can continue our journey whenever you're ready," Corin announced one day at breakfast. Kokoro had gone to the market and Hiroshi had gone to visit a friend, leaving the two of them alone. Earlier, before Corin had woken up, Inuyasha explained to the couple that he would be leaving that night before daybreak. So the couple had left them alone to give him time to say goodbye in his own way.

"That's great." Inuyasha showed little enthusiasm to her suggestion.

"Why so glum?" Her friend's mood had become darker these last couple days, but he still wouldn't talk to her about it. "I know what will cheer you up! Just wait right there!" Corin leapt up and ran to her room. Her leg was indeed healed and gave her almost no trouble at all now.

When she reappeared in the breakfast room, she was wearing a new kimono that Kokoro had made for her. It was blue with white cherry blossoms embroidered on it. "Isn't it beautiful?" Corin asked. She twirled around so that Inuyasha could admire her.

He didn't praise her like she had hoped. "Where did you get that thing?"

Corin's face fell. "Kokoro said it used to be her departed daughter's. She made some alterations on it and added this beautiful obi and said I could have it. Don't you like it?" She sat down next to Inuyasha.

"It matches your eyes," he said.

This made Corin smile a little. "Kokoro said she'd make me some more too. But I told her that she shouldn't trouble herself. Kimonos aren't that great for traveling. My onmitsu outfit works much better."

"If you say so."

The day passed unusually fast for Corin. She helped Kokoro in the garden and learned to make a new type of stew for dinner. It had been a while since she had been so active, and she was extremely tired by sunset. She joined Inuyasha in the garden to watch the sun go down. It seemed like he had avoided her all day and Corin was worried that she had upset him.

"I'll be sad to leave Kokoro and Hiroshi, but I think I'll be ready to travel tomorrow. We can leave early if you want."

"It's fine," Inuyasha said noncommittally.

Corin scooted closer to him and scrutinized his face. "Hey, are you mad at me?"

"Why would I be?" He snapped.

"I don't know that's why I'm asking. You've been really distant these last couple days."

"I've got a lot on my mind." _Like leaving you behind,_ he added silently.

"Oh," Corin said quietly. "Do you want to talk about it?" She slid even closer to him, so that the line of their bodies touched. She felt Inuyasha's body stiffen when it came into contact with hers.

"Not really. Geez you're nosy!" He crossed his arms over his chest.

Corin didn't say anything more. Sorrow filled her heart for Inuyasha, she wanted so badly to help him, to get him to open up, but she had learned that you can't force someone to talk to you, or even like you. So she sat quietly beside him and rested her head on his shoulder. Together, they watched the sun go down behind the mountains. The sky was filled with red and orange flame from the sinking sun. The sky was being slowly eaten by the darkness that was setting in, turning the edges blue and purple. There was a light breeze and Corin felt very peaceful. It would be nice to stay like this forever. She forgot about everything that had happened to her and enjoyed the moment, sitting idly with Inuyasha.

Corin was so relaxed that she fell asleep and Inuyasha had to carry her to her room and put her in bed. He sat beside her till long into the night. He didn't want to leave her behind, because he sort of liked having a friend, but it would be safer if she stayed in this house with the elderly couple. He knew that, but he had a hard time letting go. She was such a strange girl and he felt compelled to know more about her.

Earlier in the day he had spoken to the Hiroshi and Kokoro about the fact that he would be leaving before sunrise. It would be their job to tell Corin that he'd left and to make sure she didn't follow him. He knew it was unfair to lay that burden on them, but if he tried to convince her to stay he knew she'd never agree to it. This way he could leave under the cover of darkness, by the time she woke up he would be far away.

"I'm sorry, Corin," he whispered. "It's better this way." With one last look at her peaceful sleeping face, he slipped out silently into the garden and darted away into the darkness. _Maybe someday I'll come back for you._


	9. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** _Inuyasha_ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I just write these for fun.

**Author's Note:** This is just a bit of fluff I wrote for a friend. Takes place a very long time before the beginning of the series.

**

**Chapter Eight: So Afraid She'll Awake to Find She's All Alone**

"Inuyasha? Inuyasha, where are you?" The house echoed with the calls of Corin as she wandered around looking for her friend. She had packed her few belongings and was ready to set out on the road again. She poked her head outside; Kokoro was in the garden weeding. "Kokoro, have you seen Inuyasha this morning?"

The old woman didn't answer right away. She had been dreading this moment. She didn't know Corin that well, but she could see that the girl cared a lot about Inuyasha and was quite dependant on him. She must have been alone for a long time to become so attached to the boy. Kokoro couldn't imagine how Corin would feel when she found out that her friend had left her behind.

"Kokoro?" Corin asked again, stepping out onto the porch

The elderly woman stood and brushed the dirt from her kimono. "Let's go inside, child." She led Corin into the parlor.

"What's the matter?"

Kokoro prepared some tea and thought carefully about the words she would use. "I'm sorry Corin, but Inuyasha left sometime in the night."

"What do you mean he 'left'? Where did he go?"

"He went to resume his journey I imagine. We took you in because he asked us to look after you. He was afraid it was too dangerous for you to travel with him. You know that we lost our daughter many years ago. Since then I have prayed that Buddha would grant me another. It felt like divine providence when that boy showed up and asked us to take you in as our own. Hiroshi and I wanted you to be a part of our family, so we agreed with Inuyasha's proposal."

She poured some tea for the both of them, but Corin pushed hers away. Suddenly she didn't feel like tea or sesame dumplings. Corin felt numb and scared. "So, he just left? He… he… didn't even say goodbye." Tears stung her eyes and she wiped at them furiously. "How could he do that? I thought we were friends!"

"He was only thinking of you. He didn't want you to face the hardships and dangers of the life of a wanderer. He wanted you to have a home."

"But I don't want a home! I want him!" Corin exclaimed. She saw the hurt look on Kokoro's face and she felt ashamed. This woman had been so kind to her, and even wanted to adopt her, but all Corin wanted was to be with Inuyasha. "I'm sorry Kokoro," she whispered. "I didn't mean it like that. I-"

The woman put her hand on Corin's. "I know child. It's all right. You must care deeply for that young man."

"I do. I mean… I thought he liked me. I didn't think he wanted to get rid of me. Didn't he even consider how I might feel? He can't make my choices for me!" Corin's sadness soon turned to anger. _Damn you Inuyasha. Just wait till I catch up with you!_

Kokoro laughed. "Well, if that's not love I don't know what is. Hiroshi and I used to argue all the time. I guess it was our way of showing each other how much we cared. Men are stubborn creatures aren't they?"

"You can say that again," Corin huffed.

"You're going to go after him aren't you?"

"I am. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I can't stay here with you, but Inuyasha needs me. I'm so grateful for all you've done." She bowed to Kokoro in respect.

"It's I who should be thanking you. You've given me and Hiroshi a gift. For these last couple weeks, it was like we had our Ayame back again. Those moments of happiness are so precious."

Corin hugged the old woman. "I'll never forget you. If I'm ever back this way again, I'll come by to say hello."

"I'd like that," Kokoro said. "Good luck on your journey. Take care of your friend; I think he'll be very lonely without you."

After saying her final goodbyes to Hiroshi and Kokoro, Corin set out on her own to find Inuyasha. She didn't know how much of a head start he had, but considering his speed, it had to be immense.


	10. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** _Inuyasha_ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I just write these for fun.

**Author's Note:** This is just a bit of fluff I wrote for a friend. Takes place a very long time before the beginning of the series.

**

**Chapter Nine: I Smell Her Perfume When My Eyes Are Closed**

Inuyasha had been two days on the road. He ran far and fast for the first day, putting as much distance between him and Corin as he could, but it never seemed like enough. On the second day he was plagued with guilt and spent so much time trying not to think about her that he got lost and turned around. Night was falling and he sat in the branches of a tall tree, trying not to think about the girl he left behind and the feelings she had roused in him. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the trunk of the tree.

"Stupid girl. I'm better off without her. She'll be happy with those two old geezers." But as hard as he tried to convince himself, he still missed her and that made him mad.

Inuyasha suddenly felt a pain on his neck, like a bug bite. A familiar bug bite. He slapped at his neck and squashed the offending insect. He looked down at the flattened bug in his hand.

"Master Inuyasha, so good to taste you again," the crumpled flea said. It was Myoga. Myoga was a seemingly ancient flea who had once been a vassal to Inuyasha's father. He would gather information and perform occasional errands for Inuyasha's father. When his master died, Myoga started serving the young Inuyasha.

"Myoga, what are you doing here?" Inuyasha asked.

"Word has it that you picked up a stray during your travels."

"So you just came here hoping to drink the blood of some pretty girl huh? Typical," Inuyasha huffed. "Well you're too late. I dumped her in the last village I found."

"But why?" Came the agonized reply.

"Because! What the hell do I need some girl tagging along for? Having other people around is too much trouble."

Myoga shook his tiny head. "You'll never learn will you? You're mother didn't teach you to shun humanity, did she? She was human also. She tried her best to instill those values in you."

"Don't you talk about her!" Inuyasha shouted.

"I see you're still as stubborn as always, just like your father."

"Leave him out of this. In fact, why don't you go away too? I just want to be alone." Inuyasha's foul mood had darkened further with the appearance of Myoga who always knew more than anyone and often said so. Worst of all, Myoga's information and observations were always correct, which just frustrated Inuyasha beyond belief.

"But Master Inuyasha, I just returned."

"So what. Go find someone else to suck on tonight. I'm not in the mood to deal with you."

Myoga sniffled. "Master Inuyasha! You're so cruel to your faithful servant. How could you!"

"Faithful! Ha! Faithful until things get to scary and then you run away like a coward, leaving me to slay the demons all alone. Some vassal you are."

"But I'm just a flea, what could I do in battle?"

"Oh just go away!" Inuyasha yelled.

"Fine. I will." Myoga dabbed at his teary eyes with a minuscule handkerchief. "I saw a pretty young thing back there at the hot springs. I bet she'll be nicer to me than you are." And with that, Myoga flounced off.

"Pervert," Inuyasha grumbled and leaned back against the tree once more. He closed his eyes and tried to sleep. He dozed in and out, always alert for trouble. But that night, trouble came in the form of a familiar haunting scent.

He hadn't been asleep long when he suddenly caught the scent of sweet grass and wild flowers lingering on the evening air. Abandoning his anger and all his reasons for leaving her behind, he followed the scent.

The sweet aroma led Inuyasha to the hot springs Myoga had mentioned before he left. Inuyasha crouched behind some rocks and looked around, there was a girl bathing in the springs. Her back was to him, but he recognized her all the same. It was Corin. _What is that fool doing out here in the middle of the night alone?_ He wondered. Leaning forward, he accidentally dislodged some loose stones. They made a little splash when they fell into the pool.

"Who's there?" Corin said in her bravest voice. She looked around, peering into the darkness. A glint of red caught her attention and she saw the tips of silver ears over the pool's stone border. She picked up a small rock from the bottom of the hot spring and aimed for the ears. She was satisfied when she heard a yelp and an angry Inuyasha jumped up from behind the stone fence.

"What's the big idea?" he rubbed his head where she'd hit him.

"Inuyasha!" She cried and jumped out of the hot spring. Corin ran to him and hugged him tightly.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" He exclaimed, trying to push her away. "Put some clothes on!"

But Corin wouldn't be moved. She held him tightly, until she remembered that he'd abandoned her and she'd searched high and low for him for two days. She stepped back angrily and slapped him across the face. "You jerk! How could you leave me like that? Didn't you even stop to consider what I might want?"

"Ow! What the hell's wrong with you?!" Inuyasha snarled. "I was trying to keep you safe! And put some damn clothes on!"

"FINE!" Corin yelled back. She stomped over to where she'd left her clothes and hastily put them on. "Better?"

"No! You're not even supposed to be here! Go back to Kokoro's house!" Inuyasha barked.

"NO!"

"Why not?"

"Because!" Corin shouted.

"Because why?"

"Because I want to be with you!" She didn't mean to say it so loud, but it came out as an angry shout. Her face turned red after she'd said it, and so loudly too. She lowered her voice before she spoke again. "I didn't want to be left behind. I like being with you. Why can't you understand that?"

"It's too dangerous for you to travel with me. I'm a demon, remember. I fight other demons; you'd just get in the way. What if you got hurt again?" He argued.

"You're only a half demon and I'm a ninja remember? I can handle myself. I might even be of use to you in a fight," Corin said haughtily.

"Do I have to remind you about the last demon you fought?" Inuyasha sighed.

"I'll do better next time."

Inuyasha snorted. "I doubt that." Then he sighed heavily. "You're not gonna go away are you?"

"Nope!" She said cheerily, knowing that she had won.

Inuyasha considered tying her up and taking her back to Hiroshi and Kokoro but he knew that Corin would be after him again as soon as she was freed, so he sighed and sat down by the fire. "Come on, let's have some dinner and go to sleep. We've got a lot of ground to cover tomorrow."

"Ok," Corin was still smiling as she grilled some fish and unwrapped some rice balls that Kokoro had given her. She hummed a little song as she prepared the meal, happy to have Inuyasha back again.

Inuyasha on the other hand could only think to himself, _Idiot. Idiot. Idiot._


	11. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** _Inuyasha_ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I just write these for fun.

**Author's Note:** This is just a bit of fluff I wrote for a friend. Takes place a very long time before the beginning of the series.

**

**Chapter Ten: Kindness Falls Like Rain**

"Who are we going to see?" Corin asked one day. They seemed to be getting nearer to their destination.

"My mother," Inuyasha said stiffly.

Corin wanted to respond enthusiastically, but the look on his face made her think otherwise. She hadn't noticed any houses or even villages along the way and so she couldn't imagine where his mother lived. But it wasn't long before the traveling companions stood before a carved stone on a hill overlooking a river.

"Oh I see," she whispered. "Did she die a long time ago?"

"Yes," Inuyasha said solemnly. He laid a bouquet of flowers at the foot of the stone and lit a stick of incense.

"I'm very sorry. That must have been hard for you," she slipped her arm through his and stood close to him.

Inuyasha bowed his head and prayed. Corin did the same and then she left him to have some time alone at the gravesite.

_What a lonely young man_, Corin thought to herself as she rested beneath the shade of a nearby tree. He acted so tough on the outside, but deep down he was just a human at heart. Not a demon at all. She was surprised to find him so tender hearted. The way he placed the flowers on his mother's grave and cleaned around the stone showed how much he had cared for her when she was alive. Corin could sympathize with him. Her own mother had died when she was young so she knew the grief he felt. But unlike her, Inuyasha had had no one to raise him after that.

"Poor Master Inuyasha," said a voice, startling Corin out of her thoughts.

She looked around, but couldn't see anyone. "Hello? Who's there?"

"Down here."

There was a little flea, perched on her satchel. "Oh! Hello. Where you saying something about Inuyasha? Do you know him?"

"I have served the young Master faithfully for many years. I'm Myoga, at your service." The flea bowed to her respectfully.

"Nice to meet you, my name's Corin."

"Ah yes! The beautiful young woman I've heard talk about. They say you've softened Lord Inuyasha's heart."

Corin blushed. "I don't know about all that. It looks like it was pretty soft to begin with." She looked at her friend, knelt in front of his mother's tombstone, pouring water over it to cleanse and purify.

"Yes, Master always did have a soft spot for his mother. He's never been able to accept her death."

"That's so sad! Poor Inuyasha," Corin sighed. "I wonder what his mother was like. Did you know her?"

"Lady Izayoi was very beautiful and kind. She loved Inuyasha very much and tried to protect him from the villagers who scorned them. Inuyasha's father was deeply in love with her and died to save her and the newborn Inuyasha." Myoga sniffed. It always brought tears to his eyes to recall his former master.

"How terrible!" Corin said. "So, Inuyasha's never met his father?"

"No. Lord InuTaisho died the same night Inuyasha was born. And tomorrow is the anniversary of his mother's death."

Corin wanted to cry. That must have been so hard on Inuyasha. Boys look up to their fathers and depend on them to guide them into adulthood. How awful it must have been for him to walk through this world alone.

"Who are you talking to?" Inuyasha appeared in front of Corin. He moved so silently that she hadn't heard him approach. Quickly she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Master!" Myoga leapt onto Inuyasha's nose.

"Back again Myoga?"

"Well, Master Inuyasha, I wanted to pay my respects to Lady Izayoi and meet your friend here."

"Fine, whatever. We'll camp here tonight. We passed an abandoned hut back there so at least we'll have shelter."

Corin was overcome with love and sympathy for Inuyasha and she rushed forward to hug him tightly. She buried her face in his shoulder. "I'm so sorry," she cried. Inuyasha didn't ask her to explain. For once he didn't react with anger; he returned her embrace and let her weep for him, since he could not weep for himself.


	12. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** _Inuyasha_ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I just write these for fun.

**Author's Note:** This is just a bit of fluff I wrote for a friend. Takes place a very long time before the beginning of the series.

**

**Chapter Eleven: She's Got Heaven in Her Eyes**

The mood inside the hut was solemn. Dinner had come and gone without incident and neither of the companions seemed to have much to say. Both were lost in their own thoughts. Inuyasha was thinking of his mother and Corin was thinking about Inuyasha. Myoga had left them earlier in the evening so there was no one to chatter endlessly on.

Corin broke the silence first. "Inuyasha?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I sleep with you tonight?"

Her question took him by surprise. She never asked to sleep with him. They would each go to bed separately and by morning she would be in his arms. It was like a game they played. "Why are you asking? You always do just what you want anyways."

"But tonight I'm asking." The look she gave him was one he'd never seen before.

Inuyasha's nose caught her scent but it was different this time. It was sharper, more feminine and it intoxicated him. Something about her had changed as well. This change had awakened something deep inside Inuyasha, a feeling he'd never felt. His heart started to pound faster. Corin crawled closer to him and he thought his heart would leap out of his chest.

Corin stopped her approach and she saw his ears twitch, he was watching her with wary eyes, half intrigued, half frightened. She reached for his hand. "Can I? Can I sleep with you tonight?"

"I… Uh…" Inuyasha's face flushed and it was suddenly very warm in the hut. He started to think that maybe she was talking about something more than sleeping. "Well… Um…"

"Please?" Her voice was soft and it shook him to his core. She advanced on him until she was right beside him. She laid her head on his shoulder and stroked the back of his hand with her fingers. "Inuyasha?"

He couldn't hear her over the sound of his heart beating wildly. He'd been close to her before, but this time the atmosphere had changed. The air pulsed with electricity and baser instincts had been awakened. He realized that he wanted her and he needed her. He didn't need her as a friend this time; he needed her like a man needs a woman.

Corin turned away from him. Inuyasha went to reach for her but what she did next stopped him. Her kimono slipped down over her right shoulder, and then her left. She let it slide gracefully down her back until it pooled around her waist, exposing her smooth creamy skin. Her scent was much sharper now and Inuyasha emitted a small sound from his throat, something between a growl and a purr.

Sensing his hesitation, Corin abandoned her clothes and knelt beside him, naked. She touched his face tenderly, her long fingers caressing his cheek. He closed his eyes and reveled in the affection she showed him. She crawled into his lap and smiled when his eyes flew open in surprise. Corin kissed him, softly at first, tasting. Inuyasha's hands hesitated before they touched her shoulders, and then her back until he embraced her and deepened the kiss. He held her tightly and the kiss transgressed beyond anything they had experienced before. It was more passionate and filled with the fire of needs that have never been met. It signified long burning desires that lay hidden, waiting for the time when they could surface and be fulfilled.

When the kiss was broken, Corin collapsed against Inuyasha, breathing hard, flushed with delight and desire. She looked up into his eyes and saw that they were a dark, solid gold and the look he bestowed on her spoke of things he longed to do to her.

Her hands clutched at his shirt, almost violently. She clung to him as if something could rip them apart at any moment. "I love you Inuyasha," she cried. "I do! I always want to be with you."

"Corin," Inuyasha was surprised by her sudden outburst. He stroked her fine, soft hair to calm her. "Don't be scared. I'm right here. I won't leave you."

But Corin was scared. She was running out of the potion that the healer had given her, she took as little as she could to make it last, but she knew that soon it would be gone. She was living on borrowed time and it frightened her terribly. With so little time left, she wanted to make as many memories with him as she could.

"Kiss me," she pleaded. "Kiss me and don't ever stop." Corin's need and desperation for Inuyasha overcame her.

Inuyasha bent his head towards hers and captured her lips. Before the kiss had ended, Inuyasha was as naked as Corin with no memory of how it had happened.


	13. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** _Inuyasha_ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I just write these for fun.

**Author's Note:** This is just a bit of fluff I wrote for a friend. Takes place a very long time before the beginning of the series.

**

**Chapter Twelve: Where I Want to be is Closer to You**

That night, in the hut, in the mountains, Inuyasha learned just what it mean to become whole, to not feel emptiness or loneliness. He knew love again. Love. A love that filled him with peace, for the first time in his life. That night, he knew peace in the arms of a woman.

The blankets Corin had gathered on their journey were now piled on top of the two lovers because the night had gotten cold. Inuyasha held Corin close to him, amazed at how soft her skin felt on his. He caressed her arms and back, savoring the feeling. He nuzzled her face with his own and breathed her in until his senses were filled with nothing but her.

"Corin, what have you done to me?" Their love-making had put him in a daze. He felt half asleep, but his body was humming with electricity. He was drunk on love.

Corin felt warm and heavy, she was in a fog, and it took her a moment to resurface when Inuyasha spoke to her. "Hmm?"

"What have you done to me?" He asked again, pushing a strand of hair from her face.

"Shown you what it's like to love someone." Her eyelids drooped and she nuzzled his chest, snuggling down further under the blankets. She hadn't felt this warm in a very long time. "I want to stay like this forever," she murmured. Corin pressed herself against him as hard as she could, wishing she could crawl inside his skin, so they would be one person not two halves of one soul. She buried her face in his shoulder and felt his arm tighten around her. "Oh Inuyasha," she sighed. Joy and love filled her heart until she thought it would burst. "I never dreamed I'd love someone this much." Her brilliant blue eyes closed and she slept peacefully in his arms.

"Corin," Inuyasha whispered. He kissed her forehead, lost in thought. _What is this feeling?_ He wondered. _Is this how father felt about mother? Can this girl really be in love with me?_

It was a long time before Inuyasha fell asleep. He watched Corin as she slept, completely captivated. This was all foreign to him and it made him feel happy, but nervous too. He was a creature used to being alone, being with Corin made life more complicated. Being alone and selfish is easy, but now he had someone else to think about. He had to protect her, and he worried even more now that something would happen to her if he wasn't there to watch over her. It was frustrating and euphoric all at once. Inuyasha was still deep in thought when sleep finally overtook him and he closed his eyes, his cheek resting against Corin's soft black hair.

The next morning Inuyasha and Corin made their way down from the mountains and back to warmer weather. The summer was waning and fall was setting in. The last of the summer flowers were nodding their heads in the warm breeze. The pair stopped alongside a stream to drink some cool water and Inuyasha sat down under a tree to rest. He'd been carrying Corin for quite awhile, it made things easier for her, not having to pick her way down the mountain path. While Inuyasha relaxed, Corin wandered off to gather flowers and some medicinal herbs.

"Inuyasha! Inuyasha!" A cheery voice called him out of sleep. He must have dozed off from the heat of the day. Indian summer had descended on the land and the days were warm and sunny.

"Inuyasha!" He looked up, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. Corin was running towards him laughing. Sunlight sparkled in her hair and she looked happy with a childlike innocence on her face. He smiled.

Corin laughed and waved to him as she approached. She had something clutched in her hands, but he couldn't tell what it was from this distance.

"Slow down!" He called to her. "Be careful you don't—"

Too late. Corin had tripped on a fallen limb and fell face first into the ground. Inuyasha hurried to her side. "Geez. What a klutz. And you call yourself a ninja."

"I'm ok. Really, I'm fine." Corin sat up painfully. She had some scrapes on her body and dirt streaked on her face, but she was still smiling. Triumphantly she held out the item she had been carrying. It was a daisy chain she'd fashioned into a necklace. It looked a little crumpled from the fall she'd taken. "Here," she thrust it at him. "I made it for you while you were sleeping."

Inuyasha took it from her and inspected it. "What do I do with this?"

"You wear it, silly." She took it from his hands and put it around his neck. "See."

"I can't wear this girly thing!" He exclaimed.

"Why not?"

"Cause I'm a guy you idiot!"

"Aww, come on." Corin pouted. "For me?" She batted her eyelashes at him and put her head on his shoulder to better work her feminine wiles on him.

"Geez, what a pain you are," he grumbled. Corin gave him a goofy grin and Inuyasha ruffled her hair. "Come on. Let's get you cleaned up and find some food."


	14. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer:** _Inuyasha_ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I just write these for fun.

**Author's Note:** This is just a bit of fluff I wrote for a friend. Takes place a very long time before the beginning of the series.

**

**Chapter Thirteen: Just Want to Have a Good Time**

"Hey! Inuyasha, look! It's an orchard. I'll climb up and get us some fruit ok?" Corin raced off to the tallest tree before he could stop her.

"Just be careful. I get tired of bandaging you up, you know!" Inuyasha called after her.

"Ok!" She waved to him from the lower branches of the tree and nearly lost her balance.

"Oh man, what a klutz." He grumbled.

Corin tossed down ripe pears and Inuyasha caught them in one of the blankets. "I think we have enough, Corin! You can come down now."

Corin reached for one last piece of fruit and her foot slipped on the wobbly branch. She lost her balance. Inuyasha watched in horror as she tumbled out of the tree. Miraculously, she didn't hit any of the branches on her way down. He dropped the blanket of fruit and jumped to catch her. They both landed with a hard thump on the ground and lay there dazed for a few moments.

"You saved my life again," Corin said.

"Seems to be a bad habit of mine," Inuyasha grumbled. "You wanna get off me now? You're not exactly light ya know."

"But I thought you liked it when I was on top of you." She grinned at him and laughed when his face got red.

While she laughed, Inuyasha shoved her unceremoniously onto the ground and stomped off to collect the fruit he'd dropped. Corin stood up and brushed herself off, still chuckling. "Aww, you're just mad 'cause I'm right. You do like it when I'm on top." She winked at him and picked up a pear.

"Damn! You're nothing but trouble you know that?" He hollered at her.

"I know." She took a bite of the fruit, juice dripped down her chin. She closed the distance between them and kissed Inuyasha, forcing the sweet fruit into his mouth. He deepened the kiss and put his arms around her. She tasted so good; he wanted to kiss her like this for the rest of his life.

Together they fell down into the tall grass beneath the trees and consummated their love again and again. Spent and exhausted, they lay entwined until the fiery sun began to set. Corin fed her lover strips of pear, and both of them relaxed for awhile.

After awhile Inuyasha rolled over to get a drink from the bamboo canteen, but it was empty. "Damn. We're out of water."

"Wasn't there a stream near here?" Corin asked. "I can go get some for you."

"No, I'll go. You rest here."

"No, no. It's ok." She kissed him and reluctantly pulled herself away. "I'll be back in a minute." Corin grabbed his white kosode and slipped it on. She took off towards the stream before he could stop her.

"Hey wait!" He yelled. "Give me back my clothes!"

"If you want them, come an' get 'em!" She called over her shoulder as she raced for the stream.

"Dammit!" Inuyasha pulled on his hakama pants and hastily grabbed the rest of their clothes before taking off after Corin.

The sun was nearly set behind the mountains when Inuyasha reached the creek. He found his shirt discarded on the bank, but Corin was nowhere to be found.

"Oh no! What if something grabbed her!" Inuyasha panicked out loud. He didn't smell any demons around, but he did smell humans. They had been there pretty recently. "Corin! Corin!" He called, pacing up and down the bank. He couldn't smell her anywhere; the only scent he found was on his undershirt that she'd left behind. "Oh man. Now what am I gonna do?"

A giggle behind him interrupted his thoughts. He turned. Corin's head popped up out of the water and she splashed him.

"Ahh! Hey! Corin, what'dya do that for?" He looked angry, so Corin put on her pouty face. He knelt down by the stream. "I thought you'd been kidnapped. Don't scare me like that!" He chastised her.

"Were you really that worried?" she asked.

"Of course I was! You ran off with half my clothes!"

Corin sat there a minute. She couldn't decide if he was serious or not so she splashed him again with more vehemence. "So you were just worried about your clothes?"

"What? No! That's… That's not what I meant. Well, not really. I mean—" He got another face full of water. "That's it!" He exclaimed, jumping into the water after her. "You're gonna get it now!"

"Eeeek!" Corin jumped away from him and tried to run, but she tripped on a river rock and Inuyasha grabbed her. Together they rolled in the water and came up gasping. Corin was laughing. "Ha ha! Now your pants are wet, guess you have to take them off." She grinned.

"Was all this some plan to get me naked?"

"Maybe."

"Are you trying to kill me woman?" But she was splashing away from him down the creek. What could Inuyasha do but chase after her?


	15. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer:** _Inuyasha_ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I just write these for fun.

**Author's Note:** This is just a bit of fluff I wrote for a friend. Takes place a very long time before the beginning of the series.

**

**Chapter Fourteen: Where the Weather's Getting Colder**

Time passed quickly for the two lovers, and Inuyasha felt that he could live quite contentedly with Corin. It seemed like their happiness would never end.

One night a few days later, darkness had set in and the two lovers camped on the bank of a river after they had exhausted themselves playing and bathing in the shallows. Inuyasha built a big fire and grilled a side of pork from the wild boar he'd caught. His clothes were nearly dry now, but he was content to curl up under the blankets with Corin. He liked the way her skin felt against his, it was like she was already a part of him, a part he couldn't live without.

"You're freezing!" Inuyasha exclaimed as she huddled close to him. "Are you sick or something?" He put his hand against her forehead. It was cool, not feverish as he'd expected.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about me," Corin said. Her voice was weak with fatigue. "You've always had enough body heat for both of us."

"I do?"

"That first night, when I crept into your arms, didn't you wonder why?" She slid under his arm and nestled against his chest.

"I just thought you were crazy." He meant to joke with her, but his voice came out more serious than he'd intended. Inuyasha was worried about her. She seemed to be rather sickly and sad lately.

"Maybe I was, but I was so cold. And you… You were so warm… and comforting."

Inuyasha shook his head and tightened his grip around her shoulders. "You are crazy. Sleeping with a guy you just met." He smiled at her. "I could have killed you. Didn't you ever think about that?"

"You wouldn't do that. I could tell."

"Hmmph," Inuyasha grunted. "You're the only one who thinks so."

Corin looked into his eyes and saw sadness there. "Didn't your mother think so? She loved you didn't she?"

He was quiet for a long moment. "Yes, she did. She loved me very much."

"I wish I could have met her. She must have been very beautiful and kind."

"She was," Inuyasha replied.

Corin drew closer to Inuyasha and held him tight. She could only imagine how lonely he must have been all these years. "You don't have to be lonely anymore Inuyasha. You have me." She gave him her most brilliant smile. All she wanted was to ease some of his pain because she knew that she could not erase it. "You have me. And I love you very much." She blushed as she said it and looked away quickly. Corin could easily make love to him, but it was so hard to say the words. Why? Was it because she knew her own fate?

Not since his mother had anyone said those words to him. To Inuyasha those words were foreign, but they stuck in his heart and took root. "What?"

"What?"

"What did you say?" Inuyasha asked softly.

"I… I love you," Corin's voice trembled as she spoke. "It's true, Inuyasha. I love you. Don't you believe me?"

He didn't say anything, he just stared at her.

"Inuyasha?" Corin called his name nervously. "Inu—"

Her words were cut off when he leaned in and kissed her hard, bruising her lips with his passion.


	16. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:** _Inuyasha_ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I just write these for fun.

**Author's Note:** This is just a bit of fluff I wrote for a friend. Takes place a very long time before the beginning of the series.

**

**Chapter Fifteen: You'll Never Outrun What Waits for You**

Summer had come and gone, fall was nearly over and winter was setting in. The time they had been borrowing was rapidly running out. Corin had made the potion last as long as she could, but now it was gone and each day that passed made her colder as the ice demon inside of her grew stronger; taking her over; gaining strength with the frost and snow of the cold season. Inuyasha lived in blissful ignorance of this fact, but he did worry that Corin was getting ill. She grew paler and less cheerful every day.

"Hey, are you sick or somethin'?" He asked her one day as they walked along.

"Hmm? I must be coming down with a cold."

"Aren't you supposed to get a fever when you're sick? You're not warm at all, your skin feels like ice. What's the matter with you?"

"I'm sure it's nothing," Corin lied. Inside she was desperately worried. What was she going to do? She couldn't let herself be taken over by a demon, but her potion had run out and she was fighting the demon inside of her with nothing more than sheer will power now, and it wasn't enough.

"Yeah… Well. I think we better get you to a healer soon. There's a village up ahead. We'll stop there for the night." Inuyasha took off his hitoe and draped it over Corin's shoulders. "I mean I took all this trouble to rescue you that time, can't have you getting sick on me now." He tried to make a joke of it, but he too was worried about Corin's condition. Her scent was changing and she never seemed to be warm enough. He didn't know what was happening to her, but he hoped that the doctor in the village could help her.

When the pair arrived in the village they discovered that there was no healer. There was hardly anyone left. Another scene of disaster greeted them.

Inuyasha lowered his head and sniffed the air. "I smell trouble," he growled.

"What kind of trouble?" Corin asked wearily. Trouble was the last thing they needed.

"Demonic trouble."

For a moment Corin thought that maybe it was the demon in her that he smelled, but a commotion in a nearby home distracted her thoughts and moments later a giant scorpion burst from the house and hissed at them; his great stinging tail swaying above his head.

Inuyasha snarled at it. "You're one ugly bug!" he taunted it, and it snapped its deadly mandibles at him. "Been a long time since I had a good fight," he said aloud. "You stay back Corin. I can handle this." Pushing up his sleeves, he squared off with the deadly adversary while Corin backed herself up against a crumbling stone wall.

Inside it felt like she was being ripped apart, the demon was gaining hold on her and she was afraid that if it overtook her now, Inuyasha would have more trouble on his hands than just a scorpion demon. She collapsed to the ground and watched Inuyasha taunt the great stinging beast. He was enjoying the fight and was dragging it out as long as possible.

Corin's attention was distracted by a great rumbling noise coming towards her, she looked down the road and saw another scorpion making a beeline for Inuyasha. It must have been the mate of the one Inuyasha was fighting.

Dodging in and out of striking distance, Inuyasha taunted the giant scorpion with insults and jabs, only angering the creature more. The great swinging stinger smashed great holes in the ground as it attempted to pierce Inuyasha's flesh, but Inuyasha was too fast for it to find its mark.

"Not so tough are you?" He sneered. "It'll all be over in a minute." As the scorpion reared back in anger, Inuyasha aimed his attack at the soft underbelly of the beast that had been exposed, but the second scorpion was closing the distance between them fast, and as Inuyasha lunged forward with his Iron Reaver Soul Stealer attack, the other scorpion aimed for his back, attempting to catch him unawares.


	17. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer:** _Inuyasha_ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I just write these for fun.

**Author's Note:** This is just a bit of fluff I wrote for a friend. Takes place a very long time before the beginning of the series.

**

**Chapter Sixteen: Love Me 'til My Heart Stops**

"Inuyasha!" Corin screamed. There wasn't time for him to get out of the way of the second demon that was bearing down on him. With no thoughts in her head except the hope of saving the one she loved, Corin dove in front of the scorpion demon and took the full force of the attack that had been meant for Inuyasha.

Hideous claws ripped through her belly and she slumped down on the ground. Inuyasha ripped apart the first demon and turned just in time to slaughter the second demon with his razor sharp claws, but not in time to save Corin.

"Oh no! Corin!" He gasped when he saw her lying at his feet, blood pooling on the dirt around her. He knelt down and pulled her into his arms. There was so much blood and the thick, sweet scent sickened him. "Don't worry! I'll get you to a healer. You're gonna be ok! I promised I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

Corin put a finger to his lips to silence his rush of frightened words. "It's better this way," she wheezed.

"What are you talking about? I'm not going to let you die!" As he spoke, he knew somewhere in his heart that it was too late to save her from death and slowly, agonizingly, his heart began to shred into millions of little pieces.

"I'm sorry Inuyasha. I should have told you, but…" Corin coughed. Blood was bubbling up in her lungs, making it hard to speak, and she had so much left to say.

"I'm happy to have died saving your life. It's better than being taken over by an ice demon."

"An ice demon? What are you saying?" Inuyasha was very scared and confused now. He thought she might be delusional. "That wasn't an ice demon, it was-"

"No," she coughed again. "I was poisoned by an ice demon before I met you. That's why I've gotten so cold… It happened before you saved me."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was already so much trouble to you…" She caressed his face gently. She had lost so much blood that it was hard to move her arm that short distance to his face. "So much trouble. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry! Just don't die! Please don't die Corin!" Inuyasha bent his head over hers. "Please don't die. Please."

She kissed his cheek and tasted salty tears. "I was so happy," she told him. "So happy with you."

"Corin…"

"Listen to me Inuyasha/ I don't want you tobe sad." She kissed him again and he felt the warmth flowing out of his lips, one of the powers of an ice demon is to draw out the warm life force of another being. Corin pulled away quickly. "Soon you will forget me." But she wasn't sad as she said it. "But you will never forget the feeling of my love for you."

"But I don't want to forget you!"

"Don't be afraid. Someday you'll meet someone who loves you even more than I do."

Inuyasha held her tighter. "Corin, please don't go. Please." He was afraid. He wanted more time with her, but no amount of pleading could stop the mortal wound she had received from saving his life. Nothing could grant them more time than they had already had. Life was again cruelly unfair.

It was getting much harder for Corin to breathe and she coughed and gagged on the blood that filled her lungs. Inuyasha's tears fell softly on her face and she felt every ounce of his pain. She could feel his heart shattering and she wept for her love who would be left behind. "Inuyasha…" Her voice was barely above a whisper as she struggled to give him words of comfort. "I will always love you and watch over you. Do not be afraid."

"But I am afraid," he cried.

"My love…" she rasped. Her eyelids were getting heavy and she reached for his face. Just to touch it again, to focus on his beauty before she disappeared into the darkness.

Beyond words now, Inuyasha held Corin, begging silently for her to hang on to life, but it was too late. She smiled up at him as her eyes closed; the image of Inuyasha's face guiding her into death and her body went slack in his arms.

"NOOOOOO!!!!" He screamed to the heavens. "NO! Don't go!"

Inuyasha buried Corin by the riverside among the summer flowers. A few days after her death, his memories of her began to fade. And after that she was nothing more than a vague specter in his heart. An inkling of something he was missing, a faint pulsing glow that kept him warm at night with the light of her eternal love. She was always smiling down on him as he traveled the land, searching for a place to belong.


End file.
